Springfield grants $3.5M for 19 preservation projects, rejects 1 housing request
The City Council approved spending $3.5 million in Community Preservation Act funding to be divided among 19 projects to help preserve historic churches, build affordable housing, and boost open space and recreation.
This year, the act raised more than $2.5 million from a surcharge of 1.5% that has been added to taxpayers' bills since voters adopted the law in 2016. In addition, the state is expected to match the contributions with nearly $400,000, and there were additional funds from interest and money allocated but not used from last year from projects that were not done or came in under budget, said Robert McCarroll, chairman of the Community Preservation Committee.
'It was a very difficult year for the committee,' McCarroll said, about the body that vets the projects and recommends them to the City Council. 'Although we had $3.5 million to recommend to you, we had 35 projects — the most we have ever had — asking for more than $8 million.'
About half the grants recommended were less than the amount requested, but those organizations can return next year for additional funds, McCarroll said.
The City Council passed 19 of the recommendations without a concern but narrowly rejected a proposal to continue to support the efforts to convert the historic Kavanaugh building on State Street into 35 affordable housing units, some of which will be leased to clients of the Department of Mental Health.
'The location is just about on the front lawn of (the High School of) Commerce, and I don't think it is an appropriate location,' said City Councilor Sean Curran, who has opposed the project in the past.
In addition, he argued that the city granted developer Donald Mitchell, owner of Renaissance Development LLC, $2.8 million in federal pandemic money, and the Community Preservation Committee awarded him $210,000 for the project in past years.
'I think that is a significant contribution to this project and to come back tonight for an additional $300,000 of additional taxpayer's dollars, I think is a bridge too far,' Curran said.
City Councilor Malo Brown agreed, saying he does not want to put more money into a project that has stalled and added that the building has been sitting vacant with no activity for some time.
Mitchell said there were some design flaws in the $10 million project that caused him to part ways with the original architect. The company now has a new designer on board and hopes to begin construction in the fall.
To speed up the time when people can move in, his company has now decided to do the work in two phases, so 25 apartments will be built and occupied first, and the remaining 10 will be completed later.
In responding to Curran's concerns, Mitchell said he did talk to officials at the High School of Commerce when proposing the project, and the educators did not object to it.
Other councilors said they did support the project, especially since Springfield faces a shortage of affordable housing and lacks apartments for people with mental health illnesses.
'I think it addresses many needs (for) the city of Springfield, and I'm not in favor of having another empty building on State Street,' City Councilor Kateri Walsh said. 'It will help a lot of people.'
There were no objections to the remaining projects.
City Councilor Jose Delgado called the proposals a good mix of improvements that will affect 10 different neighborhoods. He said he was happy that several other projects will help the city address the affordable housing crisis.
Among the grants is one for $250,000 that will be given to Habitat for Humanity to help build a home for a low- or moderate-income first-time homebuyer on Hancock Street. The committee also continued its annual contributions to a program that helps first-time homeowners with down payment assistance and another that helps residents improve historic homes.
'We had many applications this year for (a) leaky roof and, of course, the worst thing for a historic building is water penetration,' McCarroll said.
The committee recommended assisting the new owners of the historic Paramount Theater and Massasoit House with their $1.2 million project to replace the roof with a $300,000 grant.
It also awarded the Ecumenical Church on Eastern Avenue $151,000 and Daniel's New Bethel Church $94,000 each for roof replacement.
The historic Ames House on Maple Street, owned by Commonwealth Academy, also will receive a grant to replace the roof.
'This is one of the still-damaged historic homes on Maple Street from the 2011 tornado. We are recommending $155,000 … to rebuild the roof to the appearance it had prior to the tornado.'
Read the original article on MassLive.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
Chicago City Council Zoning Committee backs bid to legalize "granny flats" citywide
The City Council Zoning Committee on Tuesday advanced a proposal to legalize so-called "granny flats" citywide, allowing Chicago homeowners to build basement, attic, garage, and coach house apartments on their property without obtaining special permission from their alderperson. The 13-7 vote came after supporters of the "additional dwelling unit" ordinance agreed to a number of safeguards aimed at preventing a deluge of such apartments from being built in neighborhoods where most existing housing is single-family homes. Chicago has largely banned the construction of additional dwelling units since 1957. In 2020, the City Council approved a pilot program allowing construction of additional dwelling units in five areas of the city, and for the past two years, Ald. Bennett Lawson (44th) has been pushing to allow so-called "granny flats" citywide in an effort to put a dent in the city's shortage of affordable housing. City officials have estimated Chicago has about 120,000 fewer units of affordable housing than it needs, and supporters of the additional dwelling unit ordinance said the measure will help ease that shortage. "The point of this ordinance is to add gentle density into spaces that already exist to help to begin to address our housing crisis," Lawson said. Mayor Brandon Johnson has thrown his support behind the measure, arguing it will help drive down the price of housing in Chicago. "My hope is that the City Council recognizes the need that exists around the city, and that they don't become narrow or sort of blinded by their own sort of specific space and time, and being able to see the larger picture," he said last week. The measure would allow additional dwelling units to be built "by right" in any part of the city, meaning homeowners would not need to get approval of their alderperson, as long as they get the necessary construction permits and the work meets the city's building and fire safety codes. As part of a compromise negotiated by Lawson, the measure would place a number of limits on construction of additional dwelling units: But opponents of the ordinance have said homeowners should not be able to build basement, attic, garage, or coach house apartments without input and permission from their alderperson, even with those limits in place. "To have this done by right, without aldermanic approval, I don't know what alderman in their right mind want to give up that authority. I don't know who would want to do that," Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) said. "I'm trying to protect my community, and by doing this by right without aldermanic approval doesn't help me control my community." Ald. Marty Quinn (13th) said the ordinance amounts to "an attack on the working class," predicting that many people in neighborhoods dominated by single-family homes will move out of Chicago as a result. "For someone that represents the Bungalow Belt, I feel like my residents are having this ordinance jammed down their throats, and that's not fair," he said. But Ald. Walter Burnett (27th), who chairs the Zoning Committee, said he has not had any issues with allowing additional dwelling units in his ward, which was part of the pilot program launched in 2021. Burnett said allowing homeowners to generate additional income by renting out apartments in their basements, attics, garages, or coach houses would help low- and middle-income families stay in Chicago amid rising costs from property taxes and inflation. "Some folks have their kids living with them, man, because they can't afford to go anywhere else, and we need to be considerate of that," he said. "We've got to figure out another way to allow people to stay in their neighborhoods." Tuesday's committee meeting became particularly heated when Beale falsely claimed the city's affordable housing crisis is the result of 50,000 migrants arriving in Chicago since 2022. "When are we protecting the people that's already here?" he said. "We are destroying this city systematically." Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez (25th) angrily admonished Beale to "stop scapegoating immigrants who have nothing to do with this ordinance." "I think to mention and to try to scapegoat immigrants is nothing but a distraction of the real issues that are affecting our communities," he said. Sigcho-Lopez and Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th) noted Chicago has been struggling for decades to provide sufficient affordable housing for low- and middle-income families. "We had a housing shortage well before migrants arrived to the city of Chicago, and it is because there is so much red tape around development, around adding units, and around bringing affordability to our communities," Fuentes said. "The reality is that there is a lot of red tape that small landlords, in particular, have to jump through just to be able to provide units for our community." The measure could be brought to a final vote by the full City Council on Wednesday.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Fairly resigns from AEDC board; Prescott calls move 'right for the city'
Alex Fairly has resigned as chair and member of the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation board, stepping down just three months after his appointment to the high-profile post. City Manager Grayson Path confirmed the resignation in an email Path sent individually to each City Council member and the mayor on Tuesday, July 15, in accordance with Texas open meetings law. As of Tuesday, no formal resignation letter from Fairly had been made public. Fairly also informed fellow board members of his decision near the end of Tuesday's AEDC meeting. According to board member Randy Burkett, Fairly said he had not planned to stay on long term and felt it was the right time to step away. 'He told us he didn't really enjoy being on boards,' Burkett said. 'He felt like he had done what he set out to do, but the structure of the Texas Open Meetings Act can make it frustrating. You can talk to one person, but not a second — and I think that held him back.' Burkett, who was appointed to the board in April, said he was surprised by the announcement and expressed disappointment over losing Fairly's input. 'I was stunned,' he said. 'I had no idea it was coming. I really thought he would stay on through the end of our first year. It's a big loss — I don't know who could replace him. Alex is one of the smartest guys I've ever met.' Burkett added that while he believes the board will continue to function effectively, Fairly's departure leaves a noticeable void. 'We'll be fine operationally, but his perspective and experience will be missed,' he said. 'I'll probably still reach out to him with questions. He's a good friend, and I highly respect the guy.' More: Alex Fairly interview: Amarillo businessman talks about money, politics, and education Fairly was originally appointed in November 2024, following a wave of mass resignations from the AEDC board that left only one member in place. The Amarillo businessman was later named chair and reappointed in April to the newly restructured five-member board. Councilmember David Prescott, who has long questioned Fairly's appointment, said the resignation was appropriate. 'I think it's the right thing for the city,' Prescott said. 'Any time large political donors are appointed to positions of power based on campaign contributions, that's problematic.' Fairly was one of the most significant donors in recent Amarillo city municipal elections, contributing heavily to political action committees supporting the current council majority. He was reappointed in April following controversy over a $750,000 allocation to a politically connected nonprofit. 'We went through a lot to put him in that position, and now he's stepping away quickly,' Prescott said. 'From discussions with AEDC staff, our deal flow is near zero. We've got a lot of work to do to rebuild trust with businesses considering Amarillo.' Prescott added that Fairly had never formally applied for the board and criticized the selection process. 'These roles shouldn't be handed out based on who someone supports politically,' Prescott said. 'Applicants should be vetted and chosen for their qualifications, not connections.' Prescott voiced support for the AEDC's ongoing nationwide search for a new president and CEO. 'We need an open, apolitical process to find someone who can grow the AEDC and help drive the city's economic future,' he said. Fairly declined to elaborate on his decision but told the Globe-News, 'It was best for me to move on and quietly step aside.' As of Tuesday, no time frame had been announced for appointing a new board member or selecting a new chair. This is a developing story; more information and further comments will be added as they become available. This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Alex Fairly resigns as chair and member of Amarillo EDC board
Axios
11 hours ago
- Axios
Georgia runoff to decide Democratic PSC candidate
Georgia voters will decide Tuesday which Democrat will get a shot at influencing energy policy and energy bills. Why it matters: The Georgia Public Service Commission has authority to set electricity rates and promote clean energy. Nearly every debate involving solar power, high energy bills and kilowatt-chugging data centers will involve the regulatory agency's five commissioners. Driving the news: Clean-energy advocate Peter Hubbard is battling former Atlanta City Council member Keisha Waites for the District 3 Democratic nomination. Polls open at 7am and close at 7pm. Find your polling place at My Voter Page, and remember to bring a valid photo ID. Catch up quick: Waites won 46% of the June 17 primary election vote count, just below the majority threshold required to win outright. Hubbard trailed by more than 16,000 votes, earning roughly 33% of the vote. Zoom in: Waites stepped down from her City Council at-large post to run an unsuccessful campaign for Fulton County Superior Court Clerk. She also served three terms in the Georgia House of Representatives. Hubbard, who has intervened at the PSC to challenge Georgia Power rate hike requests, is endorsed by Georgia Democrats including former Gov. Roy Barnes and three of Waites' former City Council colleagues. Yes, but: The PSC's recently approved deal with Georgia Power to freeze electricity rates for three years won't do anything to stop Georgia's insatiable hunger for electricity. Georgia Power says the utility might need to add the output of roughly eight nuclear reactors to meet peak energy demand by 2031, the AJC reports. Consumer advocates, environmental groups and PSC staff question whether Georgia Power is overestimating that rising demand. Georgia Power customers' bills have jumped an average of $43 per month since 2023 thanks to rate hikes approved by the all-Republican panel, Georgia Recorder reports. State of play: According to the Georgia Secretary of State's office, 33,099 voters — just 0.4% of the electorate — had cast a ballot.
